Mystery statue unearthed at Sardis archaeological dig

Harvard Gazette reports that archaeologists from the Harvard‑Cornell expedition uncovered a larger‑than‑life marble statue at the ancient city of Sardis in western Turkey. The broken figure, hidden face‑down as paving stones for centuries, measures over seven feet tall and dates to roughly two thousand five hundred years ago, placing it in the early Classical period of Greece. Sardis was the capital of the Lydian empire, a wealthy kingdom in what is now western Turkey, and researchers say the statue’s unique drapery and hairstyle offer new insight into Lydian art and its ties to the wider Mediterranean world. Conservation work is ongoing, and the team hopes to display the restored monument in a Turkish archaeological museum once analysis is complete.

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